ABSTRACT
This chapter provides ethical issues and considerations that are common in the practice of couple therapy. It describes relational ethics as well as principle ethics and virtue ethics. The chapter focuses on the ethical issues of confidentiality, secrecy, privacy, dual relationships, and online therapy. It also focuses on ethical decision-making. The chapter presents a discussion of the prevalence of ethical complaints and their resolution within the professional association. In terms of the practice of couple therapy, a number of specific ethical concerns are involved in the work of couple therapy. The practice of couple therapy routinely involves ethical considerations. Instead, ethical practice is shaped by the therapist's growth, exposure to new ideas and concepts, developed in concert with client interaction, and reflective of broader organizational dynamics. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the process of ethical decision-making and the personal factors that can shape it.
